1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shovels and other garden implements, and more particularly to shovels which have a modified two-handle structure so as to enable the user to use both handles to push the shovels and to lift the laden shovels by means of a pivotable second handle, thus enabling the user to shovel without exerting undue strain on the user's shoulders and back.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shovels currently in use and on the market are composed of a grip handle connected to one end of an elongated shaft which is connected at the other end to a ground-engaging blade usually made of metal or plastic. In use, the shoveler pushes the shovel by gripping the grip handle at the end of the shaft until a sufficient amount of material is accumulated on the blade. At such time, the shoveler bends over and grips the shaft with his/her opposite hand at a point low on the shaft of the shovels. The shoveler then pulls upwardly on the shaft with such opposite, lower-positioned hand and tosses the accumulated material to a desired location. This activity exerts considerable strain on the shoveler's back and shoulders, due largely to the fact that the shoveler must repeatedly bend over, grasp the lower portion of the shaft and stand up straight as the shoveler pulls upwardly on the shaft to lift and toss the accumulated material from the blade.
Auxiliary grip handles have previously been provided on shovels. For example, modified snow shovels equipped with auxiliary grip handle contructions of one type or another are disclosed in Bickley, U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,441; Steeb, U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,554; Gifford, U.S. Pat. No. 781,772; Batty, U.S. Pat. No. 1,693,472; and Vaslas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,954. In addition, the use of auxiliary grip handles and portable shovels is disclosed by McLoughlin in U.S. Pat. No. 2,470,217 and 2,520,606. Moreover, auxiliary grip handles have been utilized in snow shovels to facilitate the directional pushing of snow by the shoveler, as disclosed in O'Shea, U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,835.
Some prior art inventions place grip handles at an intermediate point on the main shaft of a snow shovel. Such grip handles are rigidly attached to the main shaft and do not pivot during the snow shoveling operation. (See Gifford, Pat. No. 781,772 and Batty, Pat. No. 1,693,472. ) Grip handles that are permanently attached to the main shaft of a snow shovel are not adjustable along the vertical extension of the main shaft. Moreover, such auxiliary grip handles are not extendable away from the main shaft, thus requiring the shoveler to bend over in order to grasp the grip handle and pull the laden shovel upwardly.
Other inventions in the prior art disclose hand grips disposed away from the main shaft, but such hand grips are on a rigidly positioned support that is not capable of pivoting during normal operation. (See Vaslas, Pat. No. 4,103,954. ) Furthermore, some inventions in the prior art have auxiliary grip handles fashioned from extended wire cables whose terminal ends are either (1) connected to opposite top ends of a snow shovel scoop (Steeb, Pat. No. 3,082,554. ) or (2) centrally connected directly to the scoop of the shovel. (See Bickley, Pat. No. 2,521,441. )